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The Third Man (Criterion Blu-ray)
This title in particular has been the subject of a good deal of controversy on Elsewhere (among other sites), message boards, and email lists across the web. No one seems to talk about much aside from the "Grain Issue." Since the grain (or overabundance thereof) is the obvious elephant in the room, I'm going to address it before getting on to the additional content on display here, of which there is much to see and thoroughly enjoy. (continued)

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Caro on "fat Al"

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Here we go with another "Al Gore may be too fat to be president" riff, this one written by Pop Machine's Mark Caro. And here's another Caro thing about dumping the short film Oscars.

An early February Nikki Finke Deadline Hollywood Daily story ran the following quotes: (a) "If Al Gore has slimmed down 25 or 30 pounds, Lord knows [what he might do]" and (b) "Gore's weight, which has ballooned since he left office, is widely seen as a barometer of his ambitions, and the Clinton, Obama and Edwards campaigns have been studying his girth closely."

This ties in with Mick LaSalle's "fat Al" riff from a couple of months ago.

There's also this weight thing I wrote about a year ago: "[An Inconvenient Truth] is very persuasive, but it would be a tad more so if Gore were a little bit thinner. He's not Oliver Hardy but he looks very well fed, and the metaphor is obvious. The under-message of An Inconvenient Truth suggests that a new kind of austerity is vital for the earth's survival, and I feel it would play better if Gore looked like someone who practices more denial."

Dry humor, dead mom<< previous | next >>Storage lockers, filing cabinets

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 1, 2007 at 9:57 AM

comment #1

Balthazar says ...

Apparently his unwillingness to practice restraint extends to both the dinner table and his inability to flip off light switches as the electricity-hog mansion in Nashville

Posted by Balthazar at March 1, 2007 10:33 AM

comment #2

Rich S. says ...

Or maybe Al just needs to keep the thermostat really low because of his extra layer of personal insulation.

Posted by Rich S. at March 1, 2007 10:37 AM

comment #3

rocco says ...

This is all nonsense...he's merrier, more jovial, more approachable, more affable, more relatable, etc etc etc...these all might be fat stereotypes, but hey, that's my perception of the guy...he just needs to make sure he doesn't look as plasticy as Peter O'Toole and he's a SHOE IN...

Posted by rocco at March 1, 2007 10:41 AM

comment #4

wayne76 says ...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Gore in the process of adding solar paneling to his "electricity hog mansion in Nashville"? Then again, since no one can punch a hole in what he's been telling us for so long, let's try and make him a hypocrite to divert attention away from the message. Is that the idea?

Plus, it's a little hard to buy the "Al Gore's too fat to be president" argument when the country we're talking about is LOADED with lardasses.

Posted by wayne76 at March 1, 2007 10:49 AM

comment #5

Joshua Mooney says ...

What can one say? Except: William Howard Taft.

Posted by Joshua Mooney at March 1, 2007 10:51 AM

comment #6

Brian says ...

Nothing like the Hollywood press Antoinettes getting together to knock the most brilliant political figure of his generation for being fat.

Nobody cares, seriously. And if you do care, think REAL HARD about why something so trivial could possibily matter to you.

Posted by Brian at March 1, 2007 11:01 AM

comment #7

rocco says ...

whoa, brian, slow down...

...but have people forgotten what a fatty Clinton was?

Posted by rocco at March 1, 2007 11:08 AM

comment #8

Joshua Mooney says ...

I'm not for dumping the short-film Oscars. (But I understand the argument.) I'm FOR finding a way to get short films out to a broader audience. We have, on network, 23-minute sit-coms. And short films on yer various cable channels. Most of them suck. By "most" I mean 98% of them. How about a network hour devoted to-- oh, wait, I already see the flaw in that argument. Never mind.

People should stop making short films, I guess.

Posted by Joshua Mooney at March 1, 2007 11:17 AM

comment #9

wayne76 says ...

I see that the short-film nominees are on iTunes. That's a pretty good avenue for checking them out.

Posted by wayne76 at March 1, 2007 11:21 AM

comment #10

Mgmax says ...

Yeah, Wayne, there's absolutely NO question about the science, and it's important for our elites to not be forced to cut back on their consumption because they have vitally important work to do, unlike mere nurses, police officers, teachers etc.

Posted by Mgmax at March 1, 2007 11:22 AM

comment #11

TheScott2K says ...

"...but have people forgotten what a fatty Clinton was?"

Clinton can get away with things mere mortals can't. The man got head from an intern and its ultimate result was the resignation of NEWT GINGRICH.

Posted by TheScott2K at March 1, 2007 11:32 AM

comment #12

cjKennedy says ...

And you know, that Santa Claus guy could lose a few pounds too. I mean, come on! Who wants a fat slob delivering presents to their children? It's gross.

Posted by cjKennedy at March 1, 2007 12:01 PM

comment #13

wayne76 says ...

Point taken Mgmax, but wouldn't you say that installing solar panels in your home speaks to cutting back just a tad?

Posted by wayne76 at March 1, 2007 12:42 PM

comment #14

va says ...

How many years has VP Gore been presenting this material? How many years has he been preaching global warming? And he's just getting around to installing solar panels now? Has he rid his family of all of those SUVs in his mansion driveway yet? Where's his windmill? Where's his Prius? He's one of the more disingenuous politicians around - just as phony as Hillary, as Bush. I want someone new - I would gladly trade Beltway experience for some honesty and accountability. Thanks for letting me vent.....

Posted by va at March 1, 2007 2:23 PM

comment #15

NYCBusybody says ...

I got head from an intern, who worked at my company, 3 months ago, and I didn't even get impeached for it.

I'm more untouchable than Clinton.

Posted by NYCBusybody at March 2, 2007 7:17 AM

comment #16

115thDreamer says ...

Hmmm...it could be a brilliant ploy by Gore and his people. He appeals to the Dems with the things he says (the "platform"), but simultaneouly appeals to the Republican "bubbas" in the South, etc. by being a little tubby. On a subliminal level, the red-stater is told "sure, he doesn't believe in the things you believe in (or hate the stuff you hate)...but look at him - he's from the south, he obviously likes his barbecue chicken, he sort of looks like that fat guy you work with, and he'd totally go to NASCAR with you...." All he needs to do is judge a couple of eating contests in the South or Bible Belt and he's golden.

Posted by 115thDreamer at March 2, 2007 11:01 AM

comment #17